Silchar: In a major move to bolster food security and citizen welfare in Cachar District, Minister for Food, Public Distribution, Consumer Affairs, Mines and Minerals, and Barak Valley Development, Kaushik Rai on Friday held a district-level awareness cum sensitisation programme with fair price shop owners and GPSS bodies of Cachar District for the rollout of subsidised essential commodities in Cachar.

The event, held at Ashirbad Bhawan in Silchar, marks the state government’s renewed commitment to ensuring equitable and transparent distribution of food items through the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Speaking at the gathering, Kaushik Rai announced that from October 1, ration cardholders in Cachar will receive masoor dal at Rs.69 per kg, sugar at Rs.38, and salt at Rs.10 per kg, in addition to free rice.

The initiative will be implemented through 1,764 fair price shops in Cachar as part of the broader state-wide scheme covering 10 districts from October including Cachar and the remaining 25 from November, through over more than 34,000 Fair Price Shops.

The minister emphasized that biometric authentication through e-POS devices will be used at every distribution point to ensure transparency and prevent leakage. “This is more than a scheme ,it is a pledge to uphold the dignity of every citizen.

Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam is steadily advancing towards becoming one of the top five most progressive states in the country,” he said.

Rai went on to describe Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma as “the best Chief Minister in the history of Assam”, crediting him for transformative governance, particularly in areas of digital delivery, connectivity, health, and grassroots empowerment. “Over 60 lakh new beneficiaries have already been added under NFSA-13 in last two years, and this massive exercise reflects our resolve to leave no eligible household behind,” The minister added.

Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty, who was present at the event, delivered a heartfelt speech thanking Dr. Sarma for his constant support and proactive governance. Expressing deep gratitude, he said, “The Chief Minister has not only envisioned an empowered Assam but has taken every step possible to ensure that dream becomes reality.

We in Barak Valley have felt that transformation ,be it through enhanced connectivity, robust health infrastructure, modern schools, or clean and efficient welfare delivery.” Dipayan Chakraborty, also heaped praises on Kaushik Rai for his “relentless and dedicated efforts” as the Minister of Barak Valley Development alongside his other portfolios.

“Minister Kaushik Rai has been instrumental in voicing Barak Valley’s concerns at the highest levels. His commitment to roads, bridges, education, ration reforms, and overall development is visible on the ground. The people of Silchar and Barak Valley stand solidly behind him,” said the MLA.

The event also featured speeches by Dholai MLA Nihar Ranjan Das, who described the scheme as a “lifeline for rural families,” and Katigorah MLA Khalil Uddin Mazumdar was also present on the occasion.

Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, Biswaranjan Samal, urged FPS dealers to diversify into digital entrepreneurship through CSCs and banking services to empower local economies.

Cachar District Commissioner Mridul Yadav, in his welcome speech, assured all-out support from the district administration for the smooth implementation of the programme. A detailed presentation on the various aspects of the distribution system of Masur Dal, Sugar and Salt was delivered by Mriganka Sekhar Hazarika, Inspector, FPD and CA from the Commissionerate FPDCA and LM, Assam.

Other dignitaries present included Cachar Zilla Parishad president Kankan Narayan Shikdar, co-district Commissioner of Lakhipur, Dhrubajyoti Pathak, Assistant Commissioner and FCS Branch Officer Bonnykha Chetia, DDIPR in-charge Deepa Das, Cachar BJP district president Rupam Saha, and senior departmental officials.

Following the public meeting, Kaushik Rai chaired a high-level review session at the new conference hall of the District Commissioner’s Office on the status of various activities of the department in the district alongwith assessing the preparedness of the district for the October rollout of the new scheme

Addressing the officials, the Minister said, “Our duty is to serve with empathy and precision. The delivery of essential commodities must be smooth, timely, and transparent. We must be proactive in identifying bottlenecks and resolving them without delay.”

He instructed departmental officers to conduct field visits, ensure FPS readiness, and strictly enforce e-POS-based biometric authentication. “Every gram of rice, every kilogram of dal must reach the rightful beneficiary without any leakage or delay. The credibility of this government depends on the integrity of such missions,” he said.

Stressing the importance of synergy, the minister said, “Coordination between the administration, GPSS bodies, FPS dealers, and local representatives is the key to success. Let our system reflect the discipline of governance and the heart of service.”

The review meeting was attended by Mridul Yadav, Dhrubajyoti Pathak, Bonnykha Chetia, and senior officials from the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Department. The session concluded with a collective pledge to ensure that no beneficiary in Cachar is left behind, and that the subsidised ration scheme becomes a model of efficient and citizen-centric governance.